Business interests want revamped, more inviting Horton Plaza Park

DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO 
On a recent sunny afternoon, Horton Plaza Park was inhabited exclusively by street people. The group crouched together on a curb, apparently the only ones willing to take advantage of the sole place to sit: the ground.

The park isn't the homeless hub that downtown's east side has become. But this historic square on Broadway, sold to San Diego in 1870 by developer Alonzo Horton, is not the inviting public gathering place that it could be.

They want to redesign the space, making it more welcoming to downtown workers and residents. They also want to take over the responsibility for maintenance and security from the city.

“It's time to do something,” said Todd Voorhees, spokesman for the Downtown San Diego Partnership, a business association for the center city. “It's an historic part of our downtown, and it's the entrance to the Gaslamp from the north side.”

San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders is open to the idea, as he thinks the downtown business group has a good track record, said spokesman Darren Pudgil. The group runs the “Clean and Safe” program, which uses merchant money to wash sidewalks, pick up trash and employ private safety patrols.

“The mayor is certainly willing to consider any idea that will add to the vibrancy of downtown,” Pudgil said.

Any action will be watched closely by the Save Our Heritage Organisation, which uses the image of the Horton Plaza fountain as its logo.

The nonprofit historic preservation group killed a proposed renovation in the late 1970s, saying it would “desecrate” the fountain and plaza, according to an article in the group's magazine. It was one of many attempts to alter the park in the past century.

SOHO Director Bruce Coons said his members aren't opposed to a renovation of the public park, so long as the fountain remains unchanged. They also want any new design to pay homage to the look of days gone by.

“It was laid out in 1868 to '69 by Horton to be the center of the city,” Coons said, referring to the downtown land baron credited with founding modern San Diego. “We'd like to see the park much more user-friendly.”

Celebrated San Diego architect Irving Gill put the square on the map in 1909 with his design, which included the now-iconic fountain with a domed top and jets of water.

The city added the park to its list of historical landmarks in 1971. That means any redesign must go before the city's Historical Resources Board for approval.

That didn't stop a 1985 renovation that gave the square its current look.

At some point after that, the city removed the park's benches, hoping to discourage people from sleeping there. Today, the bulk of the space around the fountain is occupied by plantings, dominated by somewhat shaggy-looking bushes.

The homeless still congregate there, which is something that merchants would like to find a way to address.

“If we could open it up and invite people to come back to the park, maybe that problem would take care of itself,” Voorhees said.

Westfield Corp. has proposed a $50 million makeover of the shopping center's Broadway facade, which faces the park. The company envisions large store windows and a sidewalk cafe spilling out onto the public square.

Stephen Fluhr, Westfield's regional vice president, said the company imagines events being held in the park, or perhaps a carousel.

“We've been racking our brains for the last year trying to figure out what we can do with the city to help activate it,” Fluhr said. “This is on our front door.”

Westfield, and possibly others, are willing to put money behind the idea. Acknowledging the city's budgetary shortfall, the downtown merchants are poised to offer the funds for a new design and ongoing maintenance. It's too early to estimate how much might be required, they said.